Definitions
- Referring to the act of holding onto something or not giving it away. - Describing the state of having possession or ownership of something. - Talking about the action of continuing to have or maintain something.
- Referring to the act of keeping something in one's possession or control. - Describing the state of continuing to have or hold onto something. - Talking about the action of preserving or maintaining something.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words refer to the act of keeping or holding onto something.
- 2Both words can be used to describe the state of possessing or maintaining something.
- 3Both words can be used in a variety of contexts.
What is the difference?
- 1Usage: Keep is more commonly used in everyday language, while retain is more formal and often used in professional or legal contexts.
- 2Intention: Keep emphasizes the act of holding onto something, while retain emphasizes the act of preserving or maintaining something.
- 3Ownership: Keep can refer to both temporary and permanent possession, while retain often implies long-term ownership or control.
- 4Connotation: Keep can have neutral or positive connotations, while retain can have negative connotations, such as retaining unwanted memories or emotions.
Remember this!
Keep and retain are synonyms that both refer to the act of holding onto something or maintaining possession of it. However, keep is more commonly used in everyday language and can refer to both temporary and permanent possession, while retain is more formal and often implies long-term ownership or control with a focus on preservation or maintenance.
